Pneumatic lock.



J. G. MESSICK. o

PNEUMATIC LOOK.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, 1912.

1,085,058. Patented Jan. 20, 19m

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, 0 71 egszc COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, D. c.

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JOHN CLAYTON MESSICK, OF SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO ROBERT GRANT JONES AND ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM FARLEY JONES, BOTH OF SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA.

PNEUMATIC LOCK.

Patented Jan 2@, 1914.

Application filed April 5, 1912. Serial No. 688,587.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN CLAYTON Misssron, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Rafael, in the county of Marin and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to pneumatic locks.

It is an object of the invention to provide a. reliable, substantial lock involving a plurality of movable bolts designed to be actu ated by the force of compressed air, means being provided for applying the Power of compressed air to the bolts of the lock.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a locking mechanism which may be mounted in a door or other suitable device, pneumatic mechanism being provided for operating the locking bolts and to provide a door which may be opened by the force of compressed air when the door is unlocked. And it is a further object of the invention to provide a safety appliance in com-- bination with a pneumatic lock whereby the pneumatic mechanism of the lock is partly controlled at a point more or less distant from the door, and means are provided in the apparatus for controlling the opening of the door from a point close to the door.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a horizontal transverse section through a door and the locking mechanism. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the locking mechanism.

The gist of the present invention comprises the means and bolts 2 forming a part of the lock mechanism; the bolts being adapted to enter when projected, keepers or recesses 8 in the contiguous structure into which the bolts 2 may be projected. In the present embodiment of the invention, the bolts 2 are shown as slidably mounted in a door 4, which may represent the door of a safety deposit box, and which is mounted to swing on hinges 5 of the wall 6 of the vault. Manifestly one or more bolts may be employed as desired, and as shown some of the bolts are provided with inclined slots 7 in which may slide cross-pins 8, secured on an actuator 9, fastened on a piston rod 10. The

piston rod 10 is reciprocable in suitable bearmgs as 11, and on one end of the rod 10 is formed a piston 12 slidable in achamber 13, one end of which is opened as at 14 toward the hinged edge of the door 4.

In the present adaptation of the invention two of the bolts 2 are oppositely disposed and adapted to be projected or retracted by the actuator 9 in opposite directions synchronously and with and by the piston 12. One of the bolts 2 is formed with rack teeth 14, engageable with apinion 15, turnably mounted on an appropriate stud or axle 16 on the door 4-; the opposite side of the pinion 15 engaging with rack teeth 17 formed on the adjacent end of the piston rod 10.

Since the cam slots 7 of the oppositely disposed bolts 2 incline in an opposite direction, when the actuator 9 is moved toward the hinged side of the door 4, as by contractile springs 18 which are connected to the door structure and to the actuator 9, then the oppositely disposed bolts 2 will be projected outwardly as will also the bolt engaged by the pinion 15. When the several bolts are thrown outwardly by the movement of the actuator 9, and the piston 10 and are projected into their respective keepers 3, the door 4 will be firmly locked and the parts will assume the position indicated in the figures.

The only means by which the several bolts 2 can be retracted from their keepers 3 is by the force of compressed air which may be admitted through the chamber 14 at the rear edge of the door 4, to act upon the piston 12 and through this shift the actuator 9. Air for actuating the piston 12 and its associating actuating device 9 is conducted to the chamber 14 which opens in the hinged edge of the door 4 by a conductor 20 which ends in the edge of the wall adjacent the chamber 14 of the door. Preferably there is provided at the end of the conductor 20 a packing device 21, upon which will be pressed firmly a packing ring 22 carried by the hinged edge of the door, and in which is partly formed the chamber 14. When the door 4 is closed the packing de vices 21 and 22 form a tight joint and air blowing through the conductor 20 will enter the chamber 14 and actuate the piston 12.

It is one of the important purposes of this invention to provide pneumatically operated locks having means to prevent the surreptitious unlocking of the door to which the apparatus may be applied, and in the present instance this means comprises a valve 23 interposed in the pneumatic conductor 20, at a point adjacent the door 1; the valve 23 may be provided with a lock 24 controlled by a key 25, so that when the key is inserted in the lock and turned the valve 23 turns to allow air to flow through the conductor 20 into the pressure chamber 1-1 of the door.

As a further security against unwarranted opening of the door 4, by the application of compressed air to the pneumatically operated mechanism, I have connected to the valve 23 electric conductors 26, in which is mounted a lamp or other signal device 27, so that when the valve 23 is moved to open the air passage an electric circuit will be established in the conductors 26 and the signal device 27 energized, the latter preferably being located in an office or operators room, and upon the illumination of the lamp 27 the operator or clerk may open a valve 28 which is mounted in the air pipe 20, so that when a person desiring to have access to the chamber closed by the door 1, may first pass the operators room and indicate his intention of going to the safety deposit box to open the door. lVith this knowledge, the operator controlling the valve 28 will await the illumination or energization of the signal 27, which will be caused when the person manipulates the valve 23 by inserting the key 25 whereby the valve may be moved. As soon as the signal 27 is observed the operator then opens the valve 28 and allows the air to flow through the conductor 20, whence it will pass freely through the opened valve 23 and actuate the piston with its associated actuator 9.

The application of pressure to. the piston 12, resulting in the movement of the actuator 9, will cause the bolts 2 to be retracted releasing the door 4, and at the instant that the bolts are entirely withdrawn from their keepers 3, the force of the compressed air in the chamber 14, adjacent the hinged edge of the door, will swing the door 4 open about its hinges 5.

For the purpose of restraining the bolts 2 in their retracted position when the actuator 9 has moved outwardly, the piston rod 10 is provided with a recess 30, into which will snap a detent 31, normally projected down wardly by a spring 32. Just as the piston rod 10 reaches its outward maximum position, the detent 31 will drop in the recess 30, and when the door swings open under force of compressed air, the detent 31 positively prevents the projection of the several bolts by the contractile springs 18, which are connected to the bolt actuator 9.

In order to release the bolt actuator 9 to lock the door by projecting the bolts 2 when the door is closed, the detent 31 is provided with inclined lugs 33, over which will ride a pawl 34 having pins on its outer end; the pawl being pivoted as at 36 on a sliding plunger 37, normally pressed toward the hinged edge of the door by a spring 38. As the door opens under the impulse of the compressed air, the spring 38 presses the plunger outwardly through the adjacent edge of the door. This movement of the plunger 37 drawing the pawl pins 35 to a position clear of the cam lugs 33 on the detent 31. As the door 4 is closed, the outwardly projected end of the plunger 37 will abut the adjacent edge or jamb of the door opening of the wall 6, and the closing movement of the door 4 will force the plunger 37 inwardly, compressing the spring 38 and carrying the pawl pins 35 beneath the outwardly inclined. lugs 33. The abutment of the pins 35 with the inclined lugs causing the latter to be lifted by the relatively stationary pawl 34, until the detent 31 is raised from the notch 30 of the piston 10, thereupon releasing the piston so that the contractile springs 18 will shift the actuator 9, and the latter project the bolts 2.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a relatively eta tionary structure, of a closure therefor, bolts for locking the closure to said structure, said closure having a pressure chamber, means for admitting pressure to said chamber by the closing movement of the closure, and connections between said chamber and the bolts for retracting the latter when pressure is applied to the chamber.

2. The combination with a relatively stationary structure, of a closure therefor, bolts for locking the closure to said structure, said closure having a pressure chamber, means for admitting pressure to said chamber by the closing movement of the closure, and connections between said chamber and the bolts for retracting the latter when pressure is applied to the chamber, said connections including a piston in the chamber subjected to fluid pressure, and a part carried by the piston and adapted to move the bolts in unison.

3. In a locking apparatus, a stationary structure, a fluid pressure conductor thereon and a valve in the conductor, a movable closure on the structure having a chamber adapted to communicate with said conductor and having a tight joint when adjacent thereto, an automatic bolting mechanism carried by the closure and registra ble with the stationary structure, and a means oper able by pressure in said chamber for retracting the bolts of said mechanism.

4. In a locking apparatus, a stationary structure, a fluid pressure conductor thereon and a valve in the conductor, a movable closure on the structure having a chamber adapted to communicate with said conductor and having a tight joint when adjacent thereto, an automatic bolting mechanism carried by the closure and registrable with the stationary structure, a means operable by pressure in said chamber for retracting the bolts of said mechanism, and an automatic detent for restraining the bolting mechanism in retracted position until disengaged therefrom.

5. In a locking apparatus, a stationary structure, a fluid pressure conductor thereon and a valve in the conductor, a movable closure on the structure having a chamber adapted to communicate with said conductor and having a tight joint when adjacent thereto, an automatic bolting mechanism carried by the closure and registrable with the stationary structure, a means operable by pressure in said chamber for retracting the bolts of said mechanism, and an automatic detent for restraining the bolting mechanism in retracted position until disengaged therefrom by the closing of the door.

'6. In a locking apparatus, a relatively stationary part having an opening, a closure movably related thereto, a fluid pressure conductor on the stationary part and terminating at the opening thereof, a chamber on the closure adapted to communicate with the conductor and form a pressure-holding joint thereat, a bolting mechanism on the closure, and means operative by pressure in said cylinder for actuating said mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN CLAYTON MESSICK.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING, GENEVIEVE S. DONELIN.

Copies of thil patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

